The Anti-Zionism Lie

They are not shouting “Death to the Israelis” on the streets of Paris. They are screaming “Death to the Jews.”

We now know the extent to which Hamas duped the world as it pleaded poverty and used the world’s aid for munitions and missiles – even as it turned its leaders in absentia into multimillionaires.

We now know how cement allowed into Gaza on the pretext that it would be used for the construction of schools and basic infrastructure was misdirected to building the most sophisticated tunnels meant for terror activities on an unimaginable and unprecedented scale.

We now know how those who speak in pious platitudes on CNN about how much they want only to ensure a good life for their children readily use them as shields and praise death and martyrdom as their noblest ideals.

But there’s one more myth which for all too long had many supporters around the world that can now no longer be sustained. The argument about the real meaning of anti-Zionism can finally be put to rest.

Many years ago there were those who already perceived the truth. When they expressed it they were or often mocked, if not vilified. One would have to be blind though, today, not to agree.

Martin Luther King was prescient in recognizing this during his lifetime. He was fearless in speaking truth to power. His words resonate all the more forcefully now in the aftermath of the world’s response to Israel’s long overdue reaction to missiles indiscriminately fired on its inhabitants:

As Stephen Harper, the first Canadian Prime Minister to address the Knesset, said bluntly and clearly in January of this past year: “Anti-Zionism is the new face of anti-Semitism.”

And Harper was criticized. The pundits repeated their mantra: Opposition to Israel isn’t opposition to Jews. Hating Israel isn’t the same as hating Jews. Just because people take issue with Israeli policies doesn’t mean that they have anything against Jewish people all over the world.

Open your eyes now and see what is happening in the supposedly civilized capitals of Europe. In France, demonstrators physically assault Jews in synagogues. Not Israelis. Not the Israeli embassy. Jews. Jews at prayer, Jews who may lean left or right with regard to their views on settlements or may disagree with Israeli policies. As long as they are Jews, they remain the enemy.

Murderous slogans dating back to the days of Hitler have been chanted at pro-Palestinian rallies in Germany. Jewish-owned shops were attacked and burned. The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Yakov Hadas-Handelsman, said: “They pursue the Jews in the streets of Berlin… as if we were in 1938.” There have been reports of protesters chanting “Jews to the gas chambers.”

We are currently experiencing an explosion of evil and violent hatred of Jews, which shocks and dismays all of us.

Dieter Graumann, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said the rise in attacks was a terrifying reminder of an era that was thought to be in the distant past. “We are currently experiencing in this country an explosion of evil and violent hatred of Jews, which shocks and dismays all of us. We would never in our lives have thought it possible any more that anti-Semitic views of the nastiest and most primitive kind can be chanted on German streets.”

Roger Cukierman, of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, said Jews were living in fear. “They are not shouting ‘Death to the Israelis’ on the streets of Paris,” he said. “They are screaming ‘Death to the Jews.’”

In Belgium, a sign at a cafe in Saint-Nicolas, a town located just east of the southern city of Liege reads: “Dogs are allowed in this establishment but Jews are not under any circumstances.” In major cities there are reports of Jewish stores being boycotted, of businesses refusing to sell to Jews.

Let us grant for a moment that there may be those who feel Arabs have legitimate grievances. Should we not wonder though why invariably disagreement with Israeli policies legitimizes calls for genocide and a renewal of Hitler’s efforts to wipe out the Jews wherever they may be?

In 2008 a State Department report already cautioned that "New forms of anti-Semitism often incorporate elements of traditional anti-Semitism. However, the distinguishing feature of the new anti-Semitism is criticism of Zionism or Israeli policy that – whether intentionally or unintentionally – has the effect of promoting prejudice against all Jews by demonizing Israel and Israelis and attributing Israel’s perceived faults to its Jewish character. This new anti-Semitism is common throughout the Middle East and in Muslim communities in Europe, but it is not confined to these populations...”

The best way to recognize the current anti-Israel hysteria for its anti-Semitic roots is by making use of Seymour Martin Lipset’s brilliant warning sometime back against “the dangerous confluence between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism” and his recipe for recognizing the difference between them. I would urge everyone to carefully note them and then consider contemporary criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza:

"Consider the source. Is the speaker someone with a history of anti-Jewish attitudes? His anti-Zionism is but a cover for anti-Semitism. "

"Critics who habitually single out Israel for condemnation while ignoring far worse actions by other countries (especially other Middle Eastern countries) are anti-Semitic."

"Likening Israel to Nazi Germany, or to traditional anti-Jewish stereotypical behavior is another sure sign of Jew-baiting and anti-Semitism."

"Attacks on the merits of Israel's existence rather than individual government policies are anti-Semitic."

By all these standards we can finally bury the myth under which Jew haters have so cleverly camouflaged their racism. When Israel is attacked by its critics simply because it refuses to commit suicide we know with certainty that they are no better than a long string of historic figures who sought nothing less than death to the Jews – and that they will most assuredly meet the same fate as all of our enemies.

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About the Author

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a Professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. Author of 14 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, his newest, The World From A Spiritual Perspective, is a collection of over 100 of his best Aish articles. See his website at www.benjaminblech.com.

Thank you for this article.It is very informative. I think you would reach more people if you did a video with pictures and short clips. It seems more people are willing to watch than read. Thanks again. We need more truth

(12)
Anonymous,
July 31, 2014 3:13 AM

Why the world hates Jews

The world hates the Jewish people because they are a tangible reminder that G-d does exist, and that His plans are not our plans, His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. He has kept all of His promises to His people, and we would do well to remember His words to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you." It makes sense that those who are cursed hate the objects of their own cursing. They are not the children of the promise...and deep down inside they know it and rage against the loss of their inheritance. But "He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps..." and He will have His day of recompense. May they turn away from their evil deeds, turn toward Him, repent of their cursing, and bow down to Him before that day arrives.

(11)
Anonymous,
July 30, 2014 8:43 PM

Why. Can't Israel just blow or hit the tunnels??

(10)
Anonymous,
July 30, 2014 8:32 PM

Try it on Israeli Arabs and see Europe's reaction!

Maybe Jews in Israel should do the same thing to Israeli Arabs and then we can see the reaction of Arabs and Europeans! All of a sudden they will be talking about human rights and respect for everyone regarding their political view.

(9)
Henry Wiltschek,
July 30, 2014 7:48 PM

Deeply disturbed by this Anti-semitism .

I'm greatly disturbed by the resurgency of Anti-Semitism, which I thought we were well past. But after a few generations of young people, after WWII, the large influx of Muslim, Islamic people to the Western countries, trying to establish Sharia Laws and have been in some countries successful, to bend our Laws because their own people have been elected to public office now.Our older population from WWII is slowly dying out and theand our current generation may care or realize what the outcome can be, until it is too late and another Hitler-liketime has come over us, fueled by an unemployed and disenchanted youth. Easily misled to fight for Islam.I don't have the answer, except that we as a whole have to be very vigilant and fight for Jewish and Christian - Jewish values.

Julia L,
July 31, 2014 6:05 PM

You are so correct...

What's happening is horrible. All Americans need to SLOW DOWN AND GET THEIR HEADS OUT OF THE SAND before it's TOO LATE. Judeo-Christians need to STAND TOGETHER against this evil that has crept into our government.

(8)
Joe whitehead,
July 30, 2014 5:48 PM

A spiritual fact

Spiritual Fact: There is a spiritual absolute rule that makes it imposable for an openly expressed Jew-hater (anti-Semite) who is not an open anti-Zionist as well. We don't have two groups of Jew-haters , one group Jew-hating who are against the Zionists while the other group of Jew-haters are supportive of the Zionists. All Jew-haters will automatically be against Zionism by their very nature of Jew-hatred. This fact alone reveals the true nature behind "anti-Zionism" altogether by both the open Jew-haters and the Jew-hater deniers. When someone makes the claim that they are not against the Jews or Judaism, but are only against Zionism, they are indeed lying based upon the spiritual foundation that such a separation between either Judaism and Zionism or between Jew-hatred and anti-Zionism is an impossibility.

(7)
Nechama,
July 30, 2014 11:27 AM

Hate in Belgium

My granddaughter's friend in Belgium told her that she and her friend went to a large supermarket where they were accustomed to shop. The clerk sent them away saying: "We don't sell to Jews".

(6)
Anonymous,
July 30, 2014 4:15 AM

Shabat

Next to that is they will declare sunday worship for all and one world religion. They will oppress all jews and other shabat keepers in the world.

(5)
Teresa Wolfenbarger,
July 29, 2014 10:36 PM

The Anti-Zionism Lie

It breaks my heart to read that this is going on....again, It is hard to understand so much hate in world. Of all people you would think that France would remember the World War II, and its root in acts, sins and crimes just as these.

(4)
Penni Goldman,
July 29, 2014 8:23 PM

Anti-Zionism Lie

I am an avid supporter of Zionism as I believe Jews are God's chosen people. Yet, I see so many Jewish people denying their beliefs. I have no true comprehension of facing antisemitism as a regular part of my life. Yet, there's something created inside of every man, boy, woman and girl that recognizes the greatness of Jews and their beliefs. I believe that one common denominator is Jehovah. I stand with Israel because of their compassion for humankind and the respect they display even in the midst of adversity.

(3)
SteveB,
July 29, 2014 8:01 PM

We are too polite.

While Anti-zionism is a dodge, Anti-semitism is too polite a word. Call them all what they are, Jew-haters.

(2)
Rachel,
July 29, 2014 6:56 PM

"same fate as all our enemies"

Rabbi Blech writes: a long string of historic figures who sought nothing less than death to the Jews – and that they will most assuredly meet the same fate as all of our enemies. What fate is that? I haven't seen anything terrible happening to the Spaniards or the German.

Anonymous,
July 29, 2014 8:31 PM

What happend to Spain and Germany

At the time those countries persecuted the jews, they were the major power in Europe. Spain lost her political and financial reign to France. Germany lost WW II.

Miriyam,
July 30, 2014 12:52 AM

The enemies were punished, even if we did not learn it in school.

You mention the Spaniards, well queen Isabella; yemach shemo who started the Spanish Inquisition, her daughter Catherine of Aragon married King Henry the VIII. She was engaged to his brother, who died. Then she married Henry, who was several years younger than her. After giving birth to Mary, (bloody Mary) and suffering several miscarriages, her husband divorces her, and changes his entire religion in order to do so. Henry then marries her maid, Anne Boleyn. Catherine’s daughter suffered the title “bastard”, since her parents’ marriage was dissolved. Mary inherits the throne for a while, but then dies childless, after suffering a terrible reputation as a bloody leader. Anne Boleyn’s daughter Elizabeth inherits the throne, and is remembered as an excellent ruler of England. The Germans, after World War II, experienced tremendous economic problems, in addition to the humiliation of having their country split into two, between the victors, United States and the Soviet Union. The Romanovs of Imperial Russia, yemach shemo, tortured the Jews through pogroms and terrible taxations. The last Romanovs were all murdered in a horrific manner. First they were kept imprisoned by the communist party, next they were shot to death. Afterwards, their bodies were soaked with acid and burned, then buried. If that is not the epitome of “yemch shemo”, I do not know what is.

(1)
Ted,
July 29, 2014 3:09 PM

New Anti-Zionism Lie

The line of " Anti-Zionism" has been used to cloakthe AntiSemitism of the Jewish People well over40 years ago,if not further. What is truly painful isreading stories of some Hasidic Sects marching armin arm with haters of Jews at anti-Israel rallies.Satmar, Natuer Karta would make great kapos forHamas, KKK,and the Neo Nazis. The so called " religious Jews" do this under the banner of " TrueJudaism" . What would their relatives killed in theHolocaust say of these action ?

Nechama,
July 30, 2014 11:35 AM

Misinformed

Ted, you have been misinformed. Satmar and Netura Karta have condemned the small group of misguided traitors who befriend our enemies. These people look Hasidic but don't belong to any recognized Hasidic court.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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